12th annual sankofa caravan to the ancestors

Egungun, Egungun ni t'aiye ati jo!
Ancestors, Ancestors come to earth and dance!..
On October 17, 2009, the National Black United Front - Houston Chapter hosts it's Annual Sankofa; Caravan to the Ancestors on the beach in Galveston Texas off 29th and Sea Wall Boulevard. The Ceremony on the beach begins at 9:00 AM. A luncheon at Old Central Community Center will take place after the beach ceremonies are concluded.

Other activities will take place October 15th and 16th with more details to be announced soon.

Those who intend to participate in the actual caravan are asked to arrive at the National Black United Front - Headquarters, 2428 Southmore, Houston, Tx no later than 6:00 AM . The Caravan leaves at 7:00am sharp,
Saturday, October 17, 2009

All faiths are invited and encouraged to participate. Additional information about the caravan will be released soon. Vendors are welcome. To contact NBUF , Call 713-402-8052 or email: omowale32@aol.com o nbufhouston@gmail.com

Educate our community on African and African-American Spirituality, History and Culture

Invoke the power of our spiritual traditions for blessings on our community in all worthy endeavors

Caravan History - In 1998, NBUF - Houston hosted the 18th National Black United Front National Convention; The theme of the convention was Sankofa. Planning for the convention , members suggested a retreat to Galveston,research was done to uncover little known history of Afrikans in Galveston and Texas, a decision was made to hold an ancestral remembrance , including performing an IFA ritual in honor of our "Holy Afrikan Ancestors". The location chosen is near a market where our ancestors were bartered for and sold as chattel. A ceremony in honor of our ceremony with aspects of African traditional religion included, and the various faiths that attend are granted an opportunity to speak and offer prayers from their tradition

On the day of the 1st caravan. Professor James Small declared the day of remembrance to be a holy day that should be commemorated annually. A decision was made later to move the actual date of the caravan to mid October for better weather conditions.

A key part of the event is an actual police escorted caravan from Houston to Galveston As many as 100 vehicles have participated over the years.

Sankofa is a word from the Akan people of West, Africa which means : Go Back To Your Past and bring to the present, past values needed now. Often the concept of Sankofa is symbolized by a mythical bird which moves forward while looking backward. Certain depictions of the Sankofa bird shows an egg being held within it’s beak symbolizing the future of those yet to be born, if the egg is held too tight then it will break, if the egg is held too loose then it will fall. One must move forward while gaining wisdom from the past and exacting the proper balance in preparation for the future. The Caravan makes the Sankofa connection through prayer, ritual, African drumming and dancing, speakers and martial arts.

Research reveals that Galveston beach was a port of entry for our enslaved African ancestors. The Moor Estevanico or Esteban came to the shores of Galveston as a servant, navigator and guide to Portuguese explorers in the year 1528. It is recorded that in the 1780 's reports traffic in enslaved Africans flourished by way of Morgan's Point across the bay from Galveston Island. This barbaric practice of profiting from human cargo was plentiful in Galveston for many years with slave traders skillfully circumventing laws banning the uncivilized practice. Further, Galveston, Texas is the place where General Gordon Granger delivered his decree of the emancipation of Africans held in slavery on these shores on June 19, 1865. Hence, the commemoration of the Juneteenth Holy Day. The spirit and history of our ancestors truly dwells in Galveston, therefore there are many values, which we can bring forth for our use today.

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